This is about rock piles and stone mound sites in New England. A balance is needed between keeping them secret and making them public. Also arrowheads, stone tools and other surface archaeology.

Thursday, November 02, 2006

Panther Orchard Farm - Part Two

by JimPThe last time I posted about Panther Orchard Farm we were talking about some rock piles associated with a brook. Not far from the brook were a couple of rock-on-rocks.Eventually we would come to an old pasture enclosed by a stone wall. But on one side of the pasture was a curious, oblong pile. Here's a look at it from inside the enclosed pasture:Since it is in a pasture I normally would be inclined to think of it as a field-clearing pile. But it has such a distinctive form and lacks the scatter of a field-clearing pile. Here's a view of it from outside the pasture looking in:Probably the most remarkable aspect to this oblong pile beside it's shape, form, and size is how the stone wall of the pasture was built over it. Here's a look at the oblong pile as it continues outside the wall of the pasture:From this I think we can safely conclude that the oblong cairn pre-dates the pasture. Also considering its proximity to the Miner Farm as well as all the other features found on this property, I think there might be something more to this pile than a gathering of rocks cleared from a field.

5 comments
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Tim, do you mean it's similar in the way the wall crosses over the bedrock outcropping in that photo?

I should point out that the stone walls that make up the enclosed pasture are rather straight, and meet at right angles creating a rectangle. This was a working farm for generations so I have little doubt about the origin of those walls.

Nearby, however, there are very old stone rows that I'll be posting at a later date. Also, close by on the Miner Farm there are several ancient rows, including a zig-zag row found by Bruce McAleer and Peter Waksman on their visit.

As I recall, Bob Miner pointed out an old stone row -- Bruce McAleer sort of wheeled around to look at it in profile -- as he did, you said, "A zig-zag?" Bruce replied, "Yep."

I remember that distinctly because I had seen that stone row a few times before, but until you mentioned the zig-zag, I had not really seen that shape in it before. Because of all the undergrowth and because of its age you really have to be in the right position to see that it does indeed zig-zag.

So, as far as I'm concerned, you identified the zig-zag. You retain the credit despite your objections. (grin)